So you’re on the hunt for a reliable, good quality secondhand over under shotgun. Which is going to suit you best? Our experts recommend taking a look at the selection below.

Why would you choose an over under shotgun?

Many consider that an over-and-under delivers a better and more consistent performance. If you watch the Olympic clay shooting events you will notice that side-by-sides are totally absent. This is not a coincidence.

Even the most traditional of game shooters are looking at the heavier and more consistently effective over-unders, which used to be sneered at in the shooting field. Now they are considered ‘rock solid in a tight corner’ as one shooter told us.

A good secondhand over under shotgun will see you right both on the clay ground and when you’re after game. It’s a true all-rounder.

Secondhand over under shotgun for under £750

One of the top 10 guns built in the last half century. Cheap, reliable and with the tough Baikal reputation. On most over-and-unders the ejectors can be turned off, and firing the top barrel first is selected by pushing the single trigger forwards. There are several models to choose from, with prices down to £250

Forty years ago the majority of budget-priced guns on the UK market came from Spain. Then it was Italy’s turn, and now it is Turkey that is producing guns which are not only cheap, but also generally well made. One of the leading Turkish companies is Yildiz. Their output is around 45,000 guns a year, and in comparatively recent times a sporter has been added to the range. The price is certainly attractive, at around £875 (in 2017) for a new gun with an adjustable comb, so a good second-hand version should cost well less than £750.

The Sporter had been a terrific gun for newcomers with an eye on their budget for a number of years, and good handling was down to advice from a British sporting champion. Sadly the Spanish Lanber factory stopped producing shotguns in 2013. However, a supply of spares is available in the UK and so second-hand, this gun is still a force to be reckoned with. Good examples from £450 upwards. It is well- made and reliable. Don’t go for very old guns from the early 1980s, because they are mechanically different to later models. Remember that with all second-hand guns condition is more important than age.

The takeover of Franchi by Beretta transformed the reputation of this gun. Previously considered something of a dodgy buy at times, largely to the erratic availability of spares, it then became a well-engineered and reliable gun available at a good price. Prices around £560.

Sadly the Japanese-built 6500 went out of production in the 1980s. It was the last of the famous Winchester 101 series, and created specifically for the European market with lightweight barrels and renowned handling. It’s still recommended but spares are scarce and BWM Arms regret that they are unable to assist. There is a cult following, so beware of artificially high prices. £740 is fair.

Spares are scarce and sadly the Browning/Winchester importer can’t help.

If you can stretch to up to £1500

Your choice of an secondhand over under shotgun is a bit more extensive in that case. Here are some that our reviewers rate.

Who would buy a Sporter that wasn’t a multi-choke? The fact is that there are plenty of shooters who prefer the simplicity of a fixed choke. Potentially good balance because the muzzle ends of the barrel tubes are lighter and no agonising about which choke is right for which target are part of it. The MK60 been around in various forms since the mid 1990s and is a delightfully simple shotgun, built on the same principles as made famous by Browning, and built in the same factory as the current Browning 725. There are several versions and grades, with prices for a good Grade 1 well under £1,000.

It’s a remarkably simple and reliable gun and many of the higher- grade guns have very elegant woodwork. Mechanically, the gun is not much different to its predecessor, the MK6000.

The original Silver Pigeon was the successor to the Beretta 687, and the mechanism is similar to that of the 686 – and all of the famous “600” series, for that matter. Like all break-action Berettas, it has a shallow action with barrels hinged on stub pine. There many versions of the gun in 12-bore, plus examples in 20 and 28-bore. Barrel options for Sporters are 28in, 30in and 32in. Good examples from £950 upwards.

Due to the high cost of building an affordable version of John Moses Browning’s immortal B25 in Europe, the cheaper Browning’s are built for Browning by Miroku in Japan. In 2003 Browning introduced the B525 which replaced the B425. At one time, there were 14 different versions of the gun, including an appealing section of field models. There are some excellent second-hand guns available for just under £1,000.

B.Rizzini guns are not to be confused with the cheap E. Rizzini guns imported during the 1980s, although they are built by a company founded by a member of the same Italian gun-making dynasty. The Premier Sporting model has a plain but elegant finish and is available with 28in, 30in, 32in and 34in barrels. It has hammers hinged at the trigger-plate and sears from the top strap, while a low-mounted bolt runs along the action floor. Good second-hand examples from around £1,400

If you’re looking for something a bit lighter then you’ll find the Browning Elite Game around 8oz lighter than most Sporters. It is basically a B525 Grade 3, built by Miroku in Japan. It is a multi- choke, utilising Browning Invector stainless steel tubes, with a 6mm game-style rib. Good examples sell from £1,250 upwards.

Going up to £3,000 for a secondhand over under shotgun

The Beretta 682 is one of the most successful sporters ever built. The first guns were built in the early 1980s and their handling was a bit unresponsive. The Beretta engineers took notice of the opinions of British shooters and the 682 was rapidly developed into a super gun with versions for all of the major competition disciplines. Sporters and trap guns are available with adjustable stocks at extra cost. Sporters are all multi-chokes. A good second-hand example such as a 682 Gold E will cost less than £2,000..

The Italians make guns that people want to buy. This is a typical Italian sideplated boxlock, with hammers driven by coil springs. Multi- choke barrels, with steel shot proof, have 2 3/4-inch (70mm) chambers and long forcing cones. There’s also a good selection of barrel lengths up to 34in. Second-hand prices from £1,950

You’ll find Gambas are relatively rare on the market, probably because people tend to hang onto them as they are strong and long-lasting. So worth investigating if you come across one. Some have probably been built with extra features to the order of individual customers. Multi-choke and fixed- choke trap versions are available. Prices at around £2,000

The gun has a drop-out trigger mechanism, while the hammers are hinged from the bottom and powered by V springs rather than coil springs. The gun no longer features on the importer’s website, having been replaced by the DT11. Second-hand prices around £2,300

Imported by GMK

£3,000 and above

The German-made Blaser is precision finished to the point where all parts are instantly interchangeable. Inside this gun’s boxlock action, sliding hammers powered by coil springs operate in the same plane as the firing pins. You’ll find competition and game versions in many grades, but the basic version is well-priced for a quality gun. Prices from £3,000.

A modern classic, offering excellent quality and workmanship. It also handles well. The B25 was the last shotgun to be designed by John Moses Browning, and the first guns went on sale in 1926. Guns are now made to individual order in the custom shop in Belgium. All are boxlocks and many of them are sideplated. The suffix in the gun’s description (for example B2G) refer to the standard of finish. Expect to pay well over £3,500 for a gun in reasonable condition.

In 1968 designer Daniele Perazzi built the MX8 Trap gun for the 1968 Mexico Olympics, regarded as one of his early triumphs in the company. This Perazzi does not have a drop-out trigger mechanism unlike many Perazzis, all of which are boxlocks. Expect to pay at least £4,500 for this secondhand over under shotgun.

Beretta’s sidelock SO series, designed by Tullio Marengoni, dates back to 1935, with competition guns for Trap and Skeet. The first Sporters came in the 1980s. There are many different specifications, most have beautiful engraving and are fixed-choke. £5000 plus

A current popular model is the 2002C — a boxlock with sideplates — though there are some fine sidelocks as well. Guns, which are built in Suhl, Germany, are similar in design to some top AYA models. £5,000 plus.

This is a beautifully built and balanced gun that will suit the most demanding competition. The K80 has been a favourite for around 30 years, but has been constantly refined and improved. Many standards of finish and engraving are available. The unusual hooded locking mechanism is similar to that on the discontinued Remington 3200.

The German masterpiece is famed for its long life, so a good secondhand example, which you can pick up for around half the RRP, will always be of interest to shooters who want one of the best competition guns available. And now Krieghoff UK has brought a new dimension to secondhand buying by marketing guns rebuilt by craftsmen.

The models are called K80 REM, which is short for “remanufactured” and they are available through the UK importer, Alan Rhone. Only the best secondhand guns are selected for the REM treatment, and those that are picked are completely stripped down – even slightly worn components are replaced.

For example, Alan Rhone has offered a K80 Sporter, which had been given the REM treatment for £5,995. And that’s with the same five-year parts and labour guarantee as offered with all REM guns.

Pricing information for buying a secondhand over under shotgun

If you’re looking at the secondhand market then condition is your first priority. It also is responsible for the broad ranges of prices that you’ll come across, that can vary broadly from gun to gun. You certainly need to shop around.

It’s also important to consider that the original new price of a secondhand over under shotgun may not be reflected in the secondhand value. Some guns hold their value better than others. The availability and prices of spares and repairs, continued existence of manufacturers, and importers, and even fashion, all have influence.